Law beat: Holy Soares Spot blog, Albany Batman!

Published 10:45 am, Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Photo: Lou Rocco

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Georgetown University law student and activist Sandra Fluke speaks during an appearance on the daytime talk show, "The View," Monday, March 5, 2012 in New York. Fluke talked about conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh and the comments he made on his program after she testified to Democratic members of Congress in support of a requirement that health care companies provide coverage for contraception. Fluke told ABC's "The View" on Monday that she hasn't heard from Limbaugh since he issued a written apology late Saturday. (AP Photo/ABC, Lou Rocco) less

Georgetown University law student and activist Sandra Fluke speaks during an appearance on the daytime talk show, "The View," Monday, March 5, 2012 in New York. Fluke talked about conservative radio host Rush ... more

Photo: Lou Rocco

Law beat: Holy Soares Spot blog, Albany Batman!

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On Jan. 31, a new blog debuted with a clear purpose: Convincing the world that David Soareswas a cross between Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun and Caligula.

OK, that's a slight exaggeration — maybe.

If you read the blog called "Soares Spot," you know that's not far removed. It billed itself as "a blog examining the disconcerting likelihood that the Albany County district attorney, David Soares, is either clinically unhinged or the most dangerous public servant in the free world."

On Thursday, that public servant easily defeated attorney Lee Kindlon in the Democratic primary. Without any opponent in November, Soares is headed for a third term.

As for Soares Spot, it closed up Thursday night (more on this later) just as its main objective was failing. Nearly all of its past entries were taken down as were the comments on them.

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Coincidence?

To many insiders around the Albany County Judicial Center, that's a little too much of one. They suggest the blog served as a vehicle for Kindlon's campaign, a notion the former candidate has steadfastly denied.

During a meeting with the Times Union editorial board in August, Kindlon was asked how much he knew about Soares Spot. "Nothing," Kindlon said. "I read it ... not all the time."

Asked if he knew was behind it, he said: "I don't. We've had a 100 theories like everybody else has had a 100 theories, but I really don't (know). It's not my campaign."

When asked if anyone affiliated with his campaign had anything to do with the Soares Spot blog, Kindlon also said no.

When asked how he knew that to be true, Kindlon said: "They know if I found out that they were doing something like that I'd be very upset. But no, I've asked them — they've said no. I really didn't even need to ask them, but it's not our campaign."

Finally, when asked about his opinion of the blog, Kindlon said, "Honestly, I wish they would stop helping."

No one has come forward to claim credit for being the author of Soares Spot blog. On its first edition, however, a possible hint was left behind when the blogger asked readers to send emails to albanybatman@gmail.com

So on Monday, hoping to learn the identity behind the blog, Law Beat sent an email to that address — and noted in the email that Soares Spot "appears to have shut down as of Thursday night."

At that point, the blog had not been operating in nearly four days. Yet within two hours of the Times Union's inquiry, Soares Spot reappeared.

Coincidence?

Only the "Albany Batman" knows for sure.

Limbaugh target to speak at Albany Law School

Sandra Fluke, the women's rights activist labeled a "slut" and a "prostitute" by talk show host Rush Limbaugh after her comments on mandating health-insurance coverage of contraception, will appear next month at a local forum on reproductive rights.

Fluke will deliver the introductory address at "From the Page to the Pill: Women's Reproductive Rights and the Law." The Oct. 11 symposium at Albany Law School will be hosted by the Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology.

Fluke drew Limbaugh's ire when she spoke at a meeting with House Democrats in February supporting mandatory insurance coverage for birth control. After assailing Fluke, Limbaugh lost several advertisers for his show and was condemned by President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner He later apologized.